Oklahoma schools will soon teach the Bible along with US founding documents

The move marks an important shift in the state’s education system

Students of Advance Placement Government in Oklahoma public schools will soon have access to King James Bibles that are printed to include the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

The state will overall purchase 55,000 of these Bibles “academic and literary resource” for to for AP classes as part of an initiative to provide access to the Holy Scriptures to all Oklahoma students.

The goal is to underscore the role that biblical values played in the founding of our great and unique nation.

"We have the Bible, the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights — these are foundational documents in our nation's history," State Superintendent Ryan Walters explained in a video posted online. "Our kids have to understand the role the Bible played in influencing American history."

"We are focused on ensuring we get Bibles available in every classroom in our state as quickly as we can," he also said in a statement. "I will take every step possible to ensure Oklahoma students have the resources they need to fully understand American history.”

"By acting now, Oklahoma is leading the country on a path toward greater focus on academic excellence by providing critical historical, cultural, and literary context for our students. We are not going to change our history, and the Bible is a major part of that,” he also said, as The Christian Post reported.

Unfortunately, not everyone is a fan of including Scripture in the classroom. In July, at least eight school districts signaled plans to refuse to comply with Walters’ initiative to place Bibles in their classrooms, while other schools have faced controversy over Bible verses being displayed on classroom walls.

At one high school in Skiatook, Walters says administrators were “bullied” into removing John 3:16 from one classroom, a move which he described as “unacceptable.”

"The removal of Bible verses from display in Skiatook under the threat of a baseless lawsuit is unacceptable," he said. "American citizens do not give up their right to practice their faith at the schoolhouse door or anywhere else."

The Post notes that as a result of ththe Sooner State has also been working to protect the religious liberty of teachers and students. Recently, the Oklahoma Department of Education established th Office of Liberty and Patriotism which would protect the rights of administrators and students to “practice their religion freely in all aspects,” including the right to pray in schools.

The office will also be tasked with investigating "abuses to individual religious freedom or displays of patriotism."

Do you think Bibles should be placed in public school classrooms? Let us know in the comments below!